What to do with The Caucasian Chalk Circle? There’s plenty going on within Brecht’s renowned play-within-a-play, and that’s before a whole host of songs are thrown into the equation, as they are with this radical re-staging. The result is rather a lot of storytelling, which at times is entertaining, although it runs at nearly three hours and that length doesn’t feel entirely justified.
Brecht’s work is not always the most accessible, but this production – adapted by Steve Waters – makes a valiant effort. It’s surprisingly comedic: many of the characters are re-imagined as grotesque caricatures, with some of the villains bordering on pantomime-levels of subtlety. The irreverent humour and enjoyable songs make this version of the play easily digestible.
In the central role of heroine Grusha – who adopts an abandoned baby and raises it as her own – is Carrie Hope Fletcher. Fresh from West End appearances in shows including Cinderella and Heathers, she’s an impressive vocalist, carrying the majority of the play’s songs with ease. She’s ably supported by Zoe West’s Singer, a narrator-type character who nudges the narrative along with the aforementioned songs. West’s guitar playing is impressive and the music has an alternative, quasi-punk feel to it, which works with the chaos that is often unfolding on-stage.
The Caucasian Chalk Circle does have a bit of a pacing issue, however, especially in the second half. There’s an awful lot of narrative to sink our teeth into during the first act, but act two slows proceedings right down – it does feel a little bit like the play runs out of steam after the interval, and the lengthy running time only exacerbates that.
It’s a shame, as there’s plenty here to enjoy – the songs are generally pretty decent, there are some stellar performances and there’s a surprising dose of humour. We left the theatre feeling that a bit of trimming of the second act would have made the whole experience a lot more enjoyable, but it’s not without its merits as it currently stands.
GAY TIMES gives The Caucasian Chalk Circle – 3/5
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